With carbon we access heat, light and mobility at the flick of a switch, while silicon enables us to communicate across the globe in an instant. Yet our use of the Earth's mineral resources is not always for the benefit of humankind --- our relationship with the elements is one of great ambivalence. John Browne, CEO of British Petroleum (BP) for 12 years, vividly describes how seven elements are shaping the world around us, for better and for worse.